Guard plate for slicing machines



Oct. 30, 1951 c. KLINGENS ETAL GUARD PLATE FOR SLIC ING MACHINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 11, 1947 INVENTORS CORNELIS KLINGENS HENRY THOMAS 0M ATTORNEYS Oct. 30, 1951 c, KUNGENS ETAL 2,573,629

GUARD PLATE FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed June 11, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FIG. 5.

FIG. 6

. INVENTORS CORNELIS KLIN GENS HENRY THOMASv W f M ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 30, 1951 GUARD PLATE FOR SLICING MACHINES Cornelis Klingens, Barendrecht, Netherlands, and Henry Thomas, Chingford, England, assignors to U. S. Slicing Machine Company, Inc., a corporation of Indiana Application June 11, 1947, Serial No. 753,942 In Great Britain July 29, 1946 2 Claims.

This invention relates, in general, to machines for slicing articles, such as food and the like, and especially to machines of the type in which there is employed a rotary slicing knife. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved shield or mask for the knife, which serves as an abutment against which the newly cut face of the article passes or slides, when the article is moving with the substance carrier beyond the cutting zone or area of the knife. The mask is of a size and configuration that only the portion of the edge of the knife in the cutting zone will be exposed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide with a shield or mask of this character, an improved knife guard, and improved means for rigidly and detachably securing the mask or shield in position with respect to the knife guard and the edge of the knife.

A further object is to provide an improved guard or mask which will be of a simple and durable construction, effective and efficient in operation, and readily attachable and detachable.

A still further object is to provide an improved guard plate having a removable face plate, whereby the latter may be readily removed for cleaning purposes, without the necessity of removing the guard plate itself.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a slicing machine, showing the rotary slicing knife and a mask or shield constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, with parts omitted;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1, with parts omitted;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the knife center plate removed;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on line 5-5, Fig. 4, with parts omitted; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on line 6-6, Fig. 4, with parts omitted.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates, generally the supporting base of a slicing machine; II, a rotary circular slicing knife, and I2, a gauge plate, all Well known in this art. A guard plate 13 is secured, as at ll, to a portion l5 of the machine frame, between the rear face of the knife and the frame. The front face of this plate is concaved, as at l6, and is disposed in a position that a portion of the guard extends across and is spaced from the cutting edge of the knife. The plate is of an arcuate shape, and extends around and protects the portion of the knife edge which is remote from the cutting portion of the knife, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The outer peripheral edge of the guard in cross-section is preferably rounded, as at H, and this portion is preferably thicker than the inner peripheral edge I8, which latter edge is disposed a substantial distance within the plane of the cutting edge ofthe knife. The outer edge of the guard extending beyond and over the cutting edge of the knife afi'ords protection for said edge when the shield or mask, to be hereinafter described, is removed.

If desired, and as a means for protecting the face of the guard 13 against deposit thereon of foreign matter, and to facilitate cleaning of the same, there may be provided a face plate l9, constructed of any suitable material, and which is removably secured to the guard to extend over the face thereof which is adjacent the slicing knife. I

This plate is of a semi-circular shape, and is of a slightly concaved formation to fit against the concaved face of the guard, and is removably secured to the guard in any suitable manner, such as by means of an inturned portion 20, at the inner edge thereof, which removably engages over the inner peripheral edge of the guard plate. At the outer peripheral edge 2|, there is formed a fastening means, such as a spring clip 22, that may be either integral with, or attached to the plate, and which is adapted to snap into a recessed portion 23 in the guard, and over an adjacent edge of the guard.

With this construction, it will be apparent that the plate l9 will cover the face of the guard, and may be readily removed for cleaning, and as readily attached. Any number of such fastening clips may be provided, and located at any desired point throughout the length of the pe ripheral edge of the guard plate. This face plate may or may not be employed, according to the desire of the operator, and if not employed, will' in no manner affect the efficiency of operation or purpose of the guard l3.

' Likewise, the entire inner peripheral portion of the face plate 19 may, if desired, be formed to extend over the inner edge of the guard l3, or

enlarged portion 25 of themask plate.

3 only portions thereof, to form ears 20, as shown in Fig. 4.

The mask or shield for the knife embodies a plate or member 2%, having a body of a general semi-circular proximal portion, and an enlarged distal portion 25 of arcuate form, the term distal portion meaning the portion adjacent that part of the knife edge which is opposite to the exposed are at the slicing zone orfstation. The term proximal portion is intended to indicate that portion of the knife edge at or within the cutting zone.

The semi-circular proximal portion 24 of the mask or shield fits into the circular recess or' concaved face of the knife NJ, as clearly shown 1 in Fig. 3, leaving the knife edge exposed at the slicing station and also at the top of the knife. 7

The enlarged or distal portion 25 not only covers the remaining portion of the knife edge, but extends beyond the knife-edge, being inturned or shaped to formin cross-section, a channel portion 2 6-, which fits over the rounded-peripheral portion l Tof the guard i3.

At the lower extremity of the portion 25- of the mask, there may be provided an .open' slot 27 (Fig. 1), adapted. to receive a pin or projection 28, carried by the-guard i3, whereby the lower end of the-mask may be pivotally and detachably held in attached position. The top of the mask may be detachabl-y secured in position in any suitable manner, such as by means of a fastening device 2-9;in the'form off a thumb screw or fastening pin that is inserted: from ,the rear through the guard. 13, and into the: mask plate.

The mask co-operates with a knife. grinding device (not shown, but wellknown in this art), and also a guard member 30 ,for the part of the knife that is engaged by the grinding wheels. The guard member 30, when the grindingwheels are rooved into an inoperative position with respect to the knife edge, also Well known in this art, encloses or covers the part of the knife edge that is within the sharpening zone. In thisposition, the guard member 30 forms a-continuation of the distal or While the preferred form. of the invention has been herein shown and described, itis to be understood thatvarious changes maybe made in the details of construction, and. in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within ing an enlarged distal portion shaped to overhang and engage the edge of said guard plate, means detachably securing said mask to said guard plate,- and a supplemental guard for the portion of the knife" in the sharpening zone, said supplemental guard forming a continuation of the said distal portion of the mask.

2. A shield for the rotary knife of a slicing machine,.embodying a guard plate mounted behind the rear face of the knife and extending across the edge'of the knife, a mask plate having a proximal portion extending across the face of the knife and terminating short of the edgein the cutting and-sharpening zone, the plate having an enlarged distal portion shaped to overhang and engage. the edge. of said guard plate, means detachably securing. said mask to said. guard plate, and a supplemental guard for the portion of the knife in the sharpening zone, said supplemental guard forming. a continuation of the said distal portion of. the. mask, said supplemental guard being independent. of the said guard and the said mask.

- CORNELI-S KLINGENS.

HENRY THOMAS.

sme ma mm) c The following references are of record in the file of this patent: r a

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

202,854 Great Britain .Aug. 30., 1923 

